Posted by a friend who's a contract tracer in Madison, WI. [View all]

[Heartstrings]

Posted by a friend who is a Contact Tracer in Madison...

So it’s been a month of working as a contact tracer for WI. This is what I have to say about it:
1. The highest risk is in your household. If someone gets it ISOLATE THE FUCK OUT OF THEM. Seriously, shut them in the basement with a bucket and toss them lunchables and Capri suns 3X a day. Even if they’re asymptomatic. ISOLATE.
2. You probably won’t die. You might feel like you have a cold or the flu or you might be sicker than you’ve ever been. Covid doesn’t care who you are. And as miserable as you are while still being able to stay away from the hospital they can’t do anything for you. You might get over it in a few days. You might still find it hard to breathe 6 weeks later. COVID DOESN’T CARE WHO YOU ARE.
3. Speaking of death... you know what sucks? Like really really sucks? Interviewing a man or woman whose mother has just been taken off life support. The mother who you never got to say goodbye to. The mother who will die alone. And if it sucks to interview them imagine how it sucks to be them. If there’s something you could do, some small thing that could stop the spread of this fucker so no more sweet mothers die alone and their children cry to strangers on the phone because they hurt so much, HOW ABOUT IF YOU FUCKING DO IT, EH?
4. These outbreaks right now in WI: La crosse, Green Bay, Madison, Eau Claire (it’s coming for you) you know what they have in common? Colleges. Ten times a day I talk to a 20 something year old who says, “I thought since there are no rules that meant it’s safe.” Thank you WI Republicans! These kids go to bars and go home to their houses they share with 5 other people and one after another they all get it.
5. Speaking of college. If we are relying on college kids to police themselves and “do the right thing” IM LOOKING AT YOU UW. We are fucked. They live in dorms and apartments and shockingly they’re not so good at policing themselves. Even if your kid is, he is a drop in a very contagious bucket. I think the chance that colleges won’t be online by November is close to zero.
6. Speaking of bars? Don’t go. Strip clubs? Don’t go. Kalahari? (I wouldn’t if I were you) these are all places I’ve discussed with positive cases.
7. Community spread is out there, but you’re much more likely to get it from another persons face than a door handle. You know how we cover our mouths when we sneeze? Why do we do that? PUT ON THE MASK IF YOU ARE INSIDE. PUT ON THE MASK IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE BUT UNABLE TO DISTANCE.
8. Number one symptom? DIARRHEA. Every single person who has one or more symptoms has it. Headache also huge. So many people say “it started like this tickle in my throat.”
9. NOBODY HAS A FUCKING FEVER. I counted less than five cases where someone has a fever. And I think I’ve talked to almost 100 people. If anyone says they’re taking temperatures to check for COVID? RUN AWAY. 9 times out of 10 there will be no fever. Ask people is they have a raging headache and shit their pants.
In conclusion: MASKS, ISOLATION, NO BARS, MASKS, DIARRHEA, MASKS. Thanks for your time.